How to Write Eye-Catching Headlines

Whether you’re writing a press release, blog, or program flyer, a great headline draws readers to your content. Here are a few tips to help your headlines stand out.

Do:

Keep it snappy with present tense and active voice

Use short words and brief phrases

Focus on the most important information.

Leave out:

Extraneous details

Vague words

Abbreviations and punctuation.

Choose Wisely

There are a handful of tried and true headlines. Are they clichés? Sure, but that doesn’t make them bad. I often read articles that promise to teach me “How to do X at Home” or “10 Quick Tips to Y.” Also, words like “free,” “easy,” “new,” and “secret” are all effective attention grabbers.

Experiment

Try experimenting with alliteration, numbers, or concrete images to grab the reader’s attention. As you write, remember to ask yourself: Who is my audience? What tone would appeal to them? How can I distill my message into just a few words?

First Impressions

As the adage goes, you only have one chance to make a first impression. A library patron may only glance at a flyer or scan an email subject line before deciding to stop reading. Don’t let them miss a great event because of a dull headline. Write a stunning headline and stay connected with your audience.

Jennifer is the Community Coordinator for LibraryAware. She works on building a supportive community of LibraryAware users and focuses on making marketing and communications fun.